A short boat ride down Rio Madre de Dios in Puerto Maldonado, Peru, brought me to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción for an adventure-filled couple of days exploring the Amazon jungle. After days spent hiking and participating in other outdoor activities — being out in the heat all day — my body was tired and needed a rest. It was also just the beginning of the trip, and more days of exploration lay ahead, so it was time to get to the spa for a massage and some much-needed relaxation between my planned excursions.

With the hotel’s location in a remote part of the rainforest, there wasn’t much room for an expansive spa … just a waiting area, a shower space and two treatment rooms. However, the space was perfect and fit in with the rest of the hotel’s aesthetics. Although most hotel spas typically include saunas, relaxation rooms, pools and more, there’s no need for these amenities at NUA because guests don’t typically have time to sit around, relax and pamper themselves, thanks to all the excursions included in their stay.

© Inkaterra

Guestrooms in the hotel are all open-air cabanas with window screens as the walls, and the spa features the same design. Throughout your treatment, you can hear birds, insects, monkeys and other jungle sounds providing a natural sound machine. Since I had been there a few nights already, I was accustomed to the jungle noises at night, so to me it was like white noise that lulled me into a relaxed state during my treatment.

As I walked in for my treatment, my friendly massage therapist greeted me and gave me some privacy to get situated before going over my treatment. Thanks to the exclusivity of the hotel and only two treatment rooms available, I fully relaxed knowing I had full privacy and was the only one receiving a treatment. Since the walls were screens, I was a tad nervous someone would be able to see me while I was getting situated, but the lush greenery and dark mesh screens provided some much-appreciated privacy.

Since I only had a short break in my itinerary, I chose the 30-minute de-stress and cooling massage. The treatment started with my masseuse applying a mint and copaiba cooling gel before giving me a traditional upper-body and head massage, with a focus on my neck and shoulders, typically my problem areas. The cooling gel is designed to help de-stress and restore physical, mental and emotional balance within the body. To end the treatment, she spritzed an aromatherapy mist of Amazon extracts to soothe and help my body continue to relax.

© Inkaterra

Guests who have more time in their schedule can opt for a 60-minute version with a full-body massage, perfect for recovery after grueling excursions. If you’d like to spend time with your significant other, book the dual de-stressing and cooling massage, in which both parties have their own therapist but still spend quality time together.

NUA Spa offers a menu of unique and traditional spa treatments, each targeting a different area and helping to improve overall health. The menu includes Treatment with Bamboo, an alternative therapy designed to stimulate the skin, muscles, adipose tissue and nervous system with soft and pleasant contact with different bamboo rods; Exfoliation with Cacao, using cocoa fruits to rejuvenate the skin and help free dead skin; Facial Hydration to help soften, relax and moisturize the skin; Hot or Cold Stone Massage, placing river stones with natural oils along the body’s chakra energy points, followed by a massage and acupressure techniques; Deep Tissue Massage, which helps reduce muscle tension after a day of hikes; Reflexology, which targets certain areas on the feet to stimulate blood flow and promote other health benefits; and the Foot Therapy treatment, featuring a foot bath followed by a deep foot massage to reduce inflammation.

Guests visiting NUA Spa can expect a holistic Amazonic spa concept combining all the traditions of a typical spa mixed with the exotic ingredients of the tropical forest to create a one-of-a-kind experience. All products used are 100 percent natural, created from local botanical extracts and adding a local touch to the treatments.

NUA SPA
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción
Rio Madre de Dios Km. 7
Puerto Maldonado 17000, Peru
tel 51 1 610 0400